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Inspector General again finds weaknesses in organic imports

September 2o, 2017: The FoodSafetyNews:

USDA’s Inspector General has found that imported fruits and vegetables are sometimes doused with chemicals when they reach the United States to prevent pests or diseases from entering the United States. "Not every shipment of fruits and vegetables get a pesticide bath at the border. The IG said if no issues are detected, imported fruits and vegetables are released. If pests or disease are found in a shipment — organic or otherwise — it’s sent to quarantine. Those shipments often get pesticide showers before they are released."
"The inspectors found the process for determining organic standards equivalency between USDA and foreign governments is 'not fully transparent.'" " U.S. ports of entry are not in the business of verifying NOP import documents."